我的職場生涯是從開發軟件起步的,如今卻成了一名風險投資家。我想根據自己的經歷,為年輕女性們提供下面一些建議: 制定計劃,但也要做好改變計劃的準備 計劃將讓你走上自我發現的道路,而在這個過程中,你的發現要么證明你的計劃是正確的,要么會促使你改變方向。舉個例子來說:我一度以為,軟件工程師將是我的終身職業。雖然我喜歡編程,但幾年之后,我卻再也不想從事這份職業。于是,我主動接受了一項新的任務,這為我指明了一個新的方向——商學院。在那里,我發現我真正喜愛的是和技術相關的業務。我想在一家科技公司從事全面管理的工作:制定決策、控制決策,并監督決策的落實。自我發現的道路,比堅持最初的計劃更加重要;我之所以變得更開心、更成功,正是因為我準許自己走上這段旅程。 預測障礙,但要專注于長期目標 你的職業生涯將持續40至50年,所以不要指望未來五年便能達到人生巔峰。你肯定會經歷許多困難,這時你需要做的便是繼續前進。有時候,你可能覺得在工作之外取得了更多進步(結婚生子等等),這沒什么;人生起伏總是難免的。最初加入英特爾時,我期望從事的是一般管理崗位,但最終的職務卻是產品營銷工程師。但我并未因此而感到沮喪,而是抓住機會提高技術能力,擴展人脈。最終,這個職位讓我在英特爾投資公司得到了一份夢寐以求的工作。一段本來可能成為挫折的經歷,卻幫助我實現了最終的目標。 建立由同事們組成的社區 不要等到需要新工作的時候,才開始建立人脈關系。從第一天起便用心建立一個由專業人士組成的人脈網絡。對于這些人,你敬佩他們的工作,尊重他們的意見。尋求誠實的反饋——這些反饋將拓寬你的事業,提高你的價值。你的職業生涯不應該是一次單兵任務。尋找同行者,提高自己的知名度,悉心培養這些關系。你的下一次工作機會,或許就來自這個社區。 有內在和外在的信念 不要忘記開始這段旅程的初衷;不要忘記你在追求目標過程中樹立的信念。信念讓你即使在走出舒適區的時候也能充滿信心,讓你有勇氣表達自己的意見,展示你的知識,引起別人的注意。但你也要做好面對挑戰的準備;人們會對你的每一個決定提出意見。不斷練習,做好準備,磨練技能——之后,你要有堅定的信念,去勇敢表達自己的觀點,讓別人重視你的價值。(財富中文網) 作者莉薩·蘭伯特為英特爾投資公司副總裁。 譯者: 劉進龍/汪皓 審校:任文科 ? |
As someone who began my career as a software developer, but ended up as a venture capitalist, I would offer the following advice to young women: Have a plan but be prepared to change it Your plan will put you on a path of discovery, and what you uncover will either validate your plan or challenge you to change course. Case in point: I thought I would be a software engineer for my entire career. Although I enjoyed writing code, I realized after several years on the job that I didn’t want to do it forever. So, I raised my hand for a new assignment, which pointed me in the direction of business school. There I found that what I truly enjoyed was the business of technology. I wanted to work for a technology company in a general management role: making decisions, owning decisions, and watching them play out. The path to self-discovery was more important than sticking to my original plan; I’m happier and more successful because I allowed myself the journey. Anticipate obstacles but focus on the long-term Your career is going to last anywhere from 40 to 50 years, so don’t expect to be at the top of your game after the first five. You’re going to hit some rough patches, and when you do, keep going. There may be times in your life when you feel you’re making more progress outside of work (marriage, a baby, etc.) and that’s okay; zigs and zags are expected. I joined Intel as a product-marketing engineer, despite my aspirations to be in general management. Instead of feeling discouraged, I used the opportunity to strengthen my technical skills and expand my network. This position ultimately led to me to my dream job within Intel Capital. What could have been a setback actually helped land me right where I needed to be. Build a community of colleagues along the way Don’t wait until you need a new job to start making connections. From day one, build a network of professionals whose work you admire and opinions you respect. Ask for honest feedback – it will broaden your perspective and make you more valuable. Your career journey shouldn’t be a solo mission. Find fellow-travelers, make yourself known, and nurture these relationships. Your next job will likely come from this community. Have inward and outward conviction Don’t forget why you started this journey; and don’t forget the conviction you developed in pursuit of your goals. Conviction will give you confidence even when you’re operating outside of your comfort zone and give you the courage to speak up, demonstrate your knowledge, and get noticed. But expect to be challenged; people are going to have opinions about every decision you make. Practice, prepare, and learn your craft — then have the conviction to stand up and be counted. |